It’s amazing what a little sand and crystal clear waters can do for a meetings program.
BY BRAD FOSTER
Within Australia or beyond our waters there are a wealth of island destinations that can have your meetings delegates being truly inspired, reinvigorated, and maybe a little bit spoilt. And that’s especially the case when it comes to incentive travel rewards.
Queensland’s Hamilton Island, Fiji, Indonesia’s Bali, the stunning islands of Vanuatu, and New Caledonia remain popular playgrounds for the Australian meetings and incentive travel sectors.
New Caledonia, the third largest island in the Pacific after Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, is one destination that is proving popular with the groups market, and it should be doing even more business with the recent announcement that Hilton Hotels is entering the region.
Hilton Worldwide recently announced that it had signed a franchise agreement with GLP Hotels for the 154-key conversion project to be known as Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residence. The property, currently the La Promenade, opened in 2008 and will undergo a refurbishment before officially opening under the Hilton Hotels & Resorts banner in mid-2013.
The first Hilton Hotels & Resorts branded-property in Noumea, it will be located on the popular Anse Vata Beach.
Asia Pacific president of Hilton Worldwide, Martin Rinck, said the Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residence will make a wonderful addition to the group’s growing portfolio in Australasia, joining three existing properties in the South Pacific – Fiji Beach Resort & Spa managed by Hilton, Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa and the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa in French Polynesia.
“We are delighted to be working with GLP Hotels on this project as our entry into the New Caledonian market and expect Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residence to be established as the leading full-service property in Noumea,” he said.
The three tower Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residence is located on Anse Vata Beach in the centre of the main tourism and accommodation district in Noumea, and has uninterrupted water views from every room. The hotel will feature 154-keys, including 21 junior suites, 68 deluxe suites, 20 executive suites and 45 royal suites, a restaurant, bar, health club and outdoor swimming pool.
Dave Horton, global head of Hilton Hotels & Resorts said: “I am exceptionally pleased to be adding another Hilton Hotels & Resorts property to our portfolio in the South Pacific. With a prominent location and many appealing features, Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residence is set to become an exceptional example of the high standards, quality and unrivalled experience guests expect from Hilton.”
Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia, is located in the world’s largest lagoon, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage location. The lagoon contains an abundance of marine creatures and coral reefs, plus offers a wide variety of activities such as diving, snorkelling, sailing, wind surfing, kite surfing and fishing.
Just a two hour flight from Sydney and Brisbane and three hours from New Zealand, it is the perfect escape for time-poor meeting and incentive groups.
Managing director of GLP Hotels, Jean Rambaud, said of the Hilton announcement the group was extremely excited to be able to bring such a famous hotel brand name to Noumea.
“We believe it will help generate a lot of awareness for GLP Hotels and the whole hotel industry in New Caledonia.”
Hilton Worldwide currently has a portfolio of 15 hotels in Australasia, including eight properties in Australia, four in New Zealand and three in the South Pacific.
